The invention relates generally to vehicle seat belt assemblies of the type having a lap belt and a diagonally-extending shoulder strap. The invention more particularly relates to shoulder strap repositioners, which may also be referred to as xe2x80x9cadjusters,xe2x80x9d for repositioning or deflecting the diagonally-extending shoulder strap component of vehicle seat belt assemblies.
This invention is an improvement to the Seat Belt Clip disclosed in my U.S. Design Pat. No. D439,026, issued Mar. 20, 2001. This invention also improves the adjustment device of Blake U.S. Pat. No. 5,154,446.
Conventional seat belt assemblies, which include a lap belt and a diagonally-extending shoulder strap, are designed primarily for use by adults of average size. When used by an adult, the shoulder strap extends generally across the chest and shoulder of the individual.
However, when the seat belt assembly is used by a child or smaller adult, the shoulder strap typically extends across the neck or face of the child because his or her upper body is not quite as long as that of a taller individual.
A shoulder strap repositioner embodying the invention is for use in combination with a vehicle seatbelt assembly having a lap belt and a diagonally-extending shoulder strap. The repositioner has a top, a bottom, a front and a rear, and is generally xe2x80x9cSxe2x80x9d shaped in cross section. The repositioner includes a generally flat panel-like intermediate portion, a generally flat panel-like upwardly extending tongue at the rear of the repositioner, and a generally flat panel-like downwardly extending tongue at the front of the repositioner. The upwardly extending rear tongue is attached at the repositioner bottom to the intermediate portion by a lower connecting web, thereby defining a space for the lap belt between the upwardly extending tongue and the intermediate portion. The downwardly extending front tongue is attached at the repositioner top to the intermediate portion by an upper connecting web, thereby defining a space for the shoulder strap between the downwardly extending tongue and the intermediate portion.
In some embodiments, so that the repositioner releases itself in the event of a collision, either the downwardly extending tongue has an upper weakened portion extending laterally across the downwardly extending tongue near the upper connecting web, or the upwardly extending tongue has a lower weakened portion extending laterally across the upwardly extending tongue near the lower connecting web, or both.
To aid in retention of the repositioner to the lap belt, repositioners embodying the invention may include a fastening device at the upper end of the space for the lap belt. The fastening device includes an element on the upwardly extending tongue and a mating element on the intermediate portion.